Book 2 Chapter 66

"I urge you to reconsider," General Lou said, his tone far more conciliatory than it had been during their previous meeting. "I will not be able to provide any assistance once you enter the Steppes, and you can scarcely imagine the dangers hidden within that land. Remain on the Wall, help repel the Yuan when they come... and once this war is over, I will personally escort you to the Capital to ensure your contributions are properly acknowledged by the court."

Compared to their last meeting, when General Lou had been practically spitting venom, this calm, almost affable man felt strangely unfamiliar to Mo Jian. Still, he certainly couldn't complain about the change. When he and Commander Sisi had returned from pursuing the Khan, bringing word of the Khan's death, the General had praised him without reservation, calling his actions decisive and "true to the spirit of the Empire."

By then, the fighting had all but ended. The other two Yuan warbands had either fled or been driven off – depending on whom one asked – the moment they realized their Khan had left the battlefield. After that, all that remained was the cleanup. The army's attitude toward Mo Jian – and, by extension, the rest of their group – had improved considerably as well, which was an advantage in its own right.

Muxue had waited barely half a day before striking while the iron was still hot.

His actions, Wei Shentong's contributions, and the fact that the rest of their group had stood ready to fight if necessary had all demonstrated the princess's intentions far more convincingly than her words alone ever could. Where General Lou had once seen them as insufferably arrogant fools, overestimating themselves by charging into the Northern Steppes only to die and leave a stain on his record, he now saw them as valuable assets; powerful, capable cultivators whose presence on the Wall could strengthen his forces and make the coming battles easier.

Hence the dramatic change in attitude.

On one point, however, Muxue had remained completely unyielding. She and the companions who had come north with her would depart as soon as possible, their destination the heart of Yuan territory. She had further informed General Lou that, in her capacity as an official envoy of the Imperial court, she intended to make contact with the khans of both the major and minor hordes, a declaration that had made even Commander Hong's mouth twist as though he had bitten into something bitter.

And so they found themselves here once again. This time, only Muxue and Mo Jian represented their side, facing General Lou and Commander Hong across the table as the two veterans made one last attempt to dissuade the princess from her chosen course.

Mo Jian wished them the best of luck. He knew perfectly well it would be easier to convince a dragon to become a vegetarian than to change Muxue's mind once she had made a decision. Not that he wanted them to succeed. He agreed with her completely.

"I am heartened to hear that," Muxue replied pleasantly, though there was not the slightest trace of genuine warmth in her voice. "Unfortunately, the situation leaves me no such choice. I appreciate your concern, General, but unless Grandfather descends from his hall to personally commend me, any return to the court without a perfect victory might as well be counted as a defeat."

General Lou's lips tightened in irritation. "Politics," he spat. "Are they truly worth more than your life?"

Muxue looked almost amused. "Of course not, which, I imagine, is where we disagree. I have no intention of dying, regardless of what others may assume. This is a planned campaign, and while I may be willing to risk my own life, I have no intention of gambling with anyone else's. General, I would ask that you give up on trying to change my mind. Instead, I would appreciate whatever help and advice you can offer for the journey ahead."

General Lou's expression remained stony for several long moments before he let out a weary sigh. He still looked deeply dissatisfied, but some of the resistance had left his face. "What exactly do you want?" he asked bluntly.

Mo Jian almost wished Muxue would produce a jade slip containing an unnecessarily long list of demands, if only to see the look on General Lou's face. Of course, she did no such thing. Nor did he speak up; his role in this meeting was much the same as Commander Hong's, to stand quietly and serve as little more than well-dressed furniture.

"A means of transportation that will allow us to travel quickly while blending in whenever necessary," Muxue said, leaning forward slightly. "More specifically, I would like a band of Light Wrought Horses for our use. We have movement techniques of our own, but none are as fast or as convenient as the steeds you can create."

General Lou frowned, but did not immediately refuse, and that alone gave Mo Jian a measure of hope. The idea had been his in the first place, after experiencing firsthand what one of those steeds could truly do while riding with Sisi. Even a single Light Wrought Horse would make their journey into the Steppes immeasurably smoother – and far faster.

Then the General spoke, and those hopes evaporated.

"I fear you have gained the wrong impression from seeing me employ them so freely. I am not the creator of the Light Wrought Horses, merely their temporary master. They are manifestations of the Eight Steeds' Chariot Gear, an immortal treasure entrusted to me in my capacity as the Horse General. That comes with several limitations.

"First, the horses cannot stray beyond a certain distance from me, or they disperse. The range is considerable, but not enough to support an expedition deep into the Steppes. At most, they could travel roughly a million li, and given how distances within the Steppes themselves can shift unpredictably, I would not be confident the horses accompanying you would not vanish at some unfortunate moment and send you plummeting from the sky.

"Second, not all of the horses possess the same capabilities."

He turned to Mo Jian.

"What you experienced with Sisi was only possible because I deliberately devoted my attention to strengthening her steed. Unless I were to focus on your horses constantly while you wandered the Steppes, which is obviously impossible, you would never see that level of speed or performance."

Mo Jian couldn't help the disappointment that crossed his face.

Apparently, neither could Muxue. "That's... unfortunate."

"It is reality," General Lou replied evenly. "The Eight Steeds' Chariot Gear was never intended to ferry small groups across half the continent. It is a treasure of war. Its purpose is to move armies, carry messages, reinforce battle lines, and pursue fleeing enemies. The horses are extensions of my authority. The farther they stray from me, the weaker that authority becomes."

Muxue nodded thoughtfully, her disappointment giving way to acceptance. "A pity," she admitted. "Still, it was worth asking."

"It was." General Lou drummed his fingers once against the armrest. "If your destination were merely the frontier, or even the outer reaches of the Steppes, I could have accommodated the request. But the deeper you travel, the less reliable they become. Sending you with them would only create another danger."

"Then I have a different request."

General Lou gave her a wary look. "Go on."

"You've campaigned against the Yuan for decades. You know their current lands better than anyone in the Empire." Muxue leaned forward slightly. "I would like every map you are willing to part with, along with any records your scouts have compiled. Migration routes, watering holes, mountain passes, sacred sites, tribal territories, places the hordes avoid, places they favor – anything."

Commander Hong gave a short, humorless laugh. "If we possessed maps that detailed, Princess, the Steppes would have belonged to the Empire years ago."

"I am not expecting perfection," Muxue replied without missing a beat. "Only the accumulated experience of those who have survived there."

Commander Hong fell silent. General Lou rubbed his chin in thought. "...That, at least, can be arranged."

Mo Jian felt a flicker of relief. Information had always been Muxue's first weapon. She had probably expected the horses to be refused from the very beginning. If so, the request had merely served as a way to establish the limits of what General Lou could offer before moving on to what she actually wanted.

Or perhaps she had genuinely hoped. These days with Muxue… especially after that night at the Palace, it was often difficult to tell.

"What else?" General Lou asked. "If we're discussing practical assistance, we might as well settle everything at once."

Muxue smiled faintly. "There are a few more matters. Minister Shi Pao, for one. I initially intended to bring him along with me further north, but he has entreated me twice to remain behind on the Wall. If I had your reassurance, General that he could not flee or report back…."

………………………………………………………..

The meeting finally wrapped up after more than an hour – a span of time during which Mo Jian had found himself fervently wishing his Qi Clone technique had already succeeded – and concluded with an agreement that Muxue's party would depart the following day.

General Lou had made one final attempt to dissuade her before they parted. One of his diviners, he explained, had recently begun encountering interference whenever they tried to peer into the future. That suggested someone else was conducting divinations of their own, or, more accurately, divining the princess's movements. The implication was obvious: assassins could already be preparing an ambush.

Unfortunately for the General, he had badly misjudged his audience. That information only strengthened Muxue's resolve to leave.

"Let's hope they come after me," she had said, fury smoldering behind her calm expression.

Even General Lou had wisely let the matter drop after that.

Regardless, they had obtained nearly everything they had come for. The Light Wrought Horses would have been useful, but they had other means of travel, so the disappointment was limited. After the meeting, Mo Jian took the opportunity to make one final round through the group, checking in on everyone before ensuring his own preparations were in perfect order. He was fairly confident he didn't need to remain glued to Muxue's side while they were still beneath General Lou's watchful eye, especially since she still carried the copy of the ding he had entrusted to her. It gave him one last chance to stretch his legs.

Such luxuries would no longer exist after tomorrow.

Unfortunately, his rounds did not go particularly well. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say they went... interestingly.

His first stop was Bai Ning. She was busy. Busy with what, you might ask? Losing spectacularly at mahjong to Li Kang and Chen Zhuhe, having already transferred roughly half a dozen treasures from her storage pouch to theirs in the process. Mo Jian knew this because, after he knocked on her door, an oddly prolonged silence had followed. Growing suspicious, he peered inside with the Heaven Enshrouding Ding, only to catch the tail end of Bai Ning whispering to Yue Shuangyi.

"...Tell him I'm busy studying General Qing's jade slip. Or I'm attempting another breakthrough into the middle stage of Core Formation. Or I had an insight." She delivered the blatant lie while rummaging through her storage pouch, fishing out a dozen mid-grade spirit stones and tossing them toward an openly grinning Chen Zhuhe.

Yue Shuangyi, loyal and steadfast friend that she was, dutifully relayed the fabrication without the slightest tremor in her voice. Clearly, she too had been corrupted. Mo Jian merely remarked through the door that Bai Ning had better not wager away anything important. If she did, he would make her earn it all back through training. Then he wisely left.

His next destination was Liu Rushi. If they were not quite friends, they were at least close acquaintances from the Thousand Shattered Islands, and they had barely had the chance to speak since arriving at the Wall. Besides, he had been the one to insist that she delay sending word home until they had already departed for the frontier, mainly to ensure that no overprotective friends decided to march on the Capital in an attempt to stop them. The least he owed her was a proper conversation.

As it turned out, she was busy as well. And she was not alone. Once again, his knock received no answer. Once again, he resorted to the Heaven Enshrouding Ding. Once again, the artifact demonstrated a complete and utter lack of respect for personal boundaries. Bright red, Mo Jian fled the scene before either of the occupants noticed anything, mentally crossing Duan Cheng off his list of people to visit as well. As for what the two of them had been doing...

Well, between them, they had enough years to account for several generations. They were both fully grown adults. Mo Jian had neither the right nor the slightest interest of sticking his nose into their private affairs.

Thus, somewhat to his own surprise, he found himself falling back on his third option, though calling it an option was perhaps inaccurate. He went to find Wei Shentong, only to discover that, for once, Wei Shentong was not busy refining the bronze jade into his natal artifact. Instead, he was entertaining a guest.

She was a beautiful woman who appeared to be in her early twenties, clad in half-armor, with lips of a striking green hue. She was also in the middle of speaking, and Mo Jian caught only the latter half of her words. This time, he had not knocked first and had been... considerably more cautious with his use of the Heaven Enshrouding Ding.

"...and the advantages are quite significant, Senior. I know the court likes to portray the Wall as the final bastion of civilization and all that, but life here is generally peaceful and prosperous. The opportunities are plentiful as well. There are many rare materials and spirit herbs that we encounter before they reach the rest of the Empire, not to mention the beasts that can only be found-"

Huh. It sounded like a recruitment attempt. And not one that came from General Lou. The General commanded an entire army; he had little reason to personally convince someone to join the Wall. No, this sounded much more like something Commander Hong would do. Mo Jian had only met the man twice, so he would not claim to truly understand him. However, from what he knew, command of the Wall was a rotational posting, much like the positions of city governors or local magistrates. Yet, as with those positions, the influence a departing commander held over who replaced him could be considerable. More importantly, there was nothing stopping the same individual – or family, or clan – from repeatedly securing the position.

Viewed from that perspective... If he was to put himself in Commander Hong's shoes…

Wei Shentong's performance had been genuinely impressive. He had been the first to notice the Yuan approaching, even before the sentries. Whether it had been luck or instinct, the important thing was that he possessed the ability. He had also proven himself during the battle. Was it really any surprise that Commander Hong would try to recruit him to the Wall? Though exactly how that would work, Mo Jian had no idea.

Slowly and carefully, Mo Jian backed away. Once he was certain he was out of earshot – in the ordinary sense, at least, and not a cultivator's absurdly enhanced version of it – he turned around and walked away. If he suddenly felt the urge to recite a poem about loneliness, well, that was his own business.

Still, it was somewhat strange. A few days ago, he had been surrounded by companions, allies, friends, and people constantly demanding his attention. Now, somehow, he had gone from being part of a group to being completely alone.

Perhaps that was why the poem came to mind:

"From a pot of wine among the flowers,

I drink alone. There is no friend with me.

Raising my cup, I beckon the bright moon,

For he, with my shadow, makes up three.

The moon, alas, is no drinker of wine;

My shadow merely creeps at my side.

But yet for a moment these companions I'll take,

And make merry before the spring die."

It was painfully cheesy. Worse, it was not even something he had written himself. He had merely remembered his aunt reciting it once back on Earth. Fortunately, there was no one nearby to hear him. That meant he could pretend this entire incident had never happened, return to his room, and rest. Or at least, that was what he would have done, if not for –

"Wow. I did not expect you to be the sort of person who recites poetry like that, Jian."

Mo Jian closed his eyes in profound suffering, wondering why he had decided to stop using the Heaven Enshrouding Ding at exactly this moment. After a moment, he opened them and turned around. Muxue stood there, one eyebrow raised, looking at him as though she were genuinely wondering whether he was feeling well.

It took him a moment to realize she was waiting for an answer.

"Just... felt like it." A flawless response. Truly, what better explanation could there be?

Muxue's eyes danced with laughter, but she was kind enough not to point out how unconvincing he sounded. "Any particular reason?" she asked. "If you are feeling lonely, I could use some help with a few things before tomorrow. I was going to run these messages by you anyway, since they will be sent to the Khans..."

The invitation was obvious. Mo Jian accepted with a nod. Though he did feel the need to clarify, in a slightly nettled tone, "I am not lonely."

She simply laughed.

Together, the two of them entered her room. It was pretty much the same as Mo Jian had expected – similar to his; just messier, with jade slips, documents, and several talismans arranged neatly. "These are the messages I intend to send," Muxue said, gesturing toward the jade slips. "The content is unchanged from what we discussed, but I have been revising the wording in light of what we have learned."

Mo Jian sat down across from her and picked up the first slip. For a while, neither of them spoke much. It was not an uncomfortable silence.

Finally, Mo Jian set the jade slip down. "This wording still feels too formal," he said, waving the slip slightly. "Half of what we have heard and most of what we have seen tells me that flowery words and imperial decrees are unlikely to move them. Being direct might be better."

Muxue tilted her head. "It is direct. We are quite literally threatening them."

"Yes, but there is a difference between doing that openly and writing something like..." Mo Jian glanced back at the slip. "'The glorious Empire extends its benevolent hand toward the wise and noble leaders of the Yuan, whose decisions at this moment shall affect generations to come.'" He paused. "That sounds less like an offer or a threat and more like the beginning of a speech before we demand tribute."

Muxue stared at him for a moment. Then, despite herself, she laughed. It was quiet and brief, but genuine enough that Mo Jian found himself looking up. "What?" he asked.

"Nothing," she said, though the faint smile remained. "I was simply thinking that you are surprisingly good at this, despite claiming to hate it."

Mo Jian opened his mouth to respond, then decided against it. He had no argument.

After a moment, Muxue's expression softened. "Regardless," she said, "thank you."

Mo Jian looked back at her. "For what?"

"For sticking with me this far."

For once, Mo Jian had no clever response. Reminding her of the soul oath he had sworn would not be the right answer. Neither would telling her that he was doing this for his own reasons. Those things might be true, but they were not what she meant. So instead, he simply accepted the gratitude. "You too."

Muxue blinked. Then she smiled again. "Let's finish these," she said, turning back to the jade slips. "We have a long journey ahead of us."

Mo Jian nodded and picked up the next one.

The room fell silent, but it was a comfortable silence, between two people who were at ease with each other. Outside, the sun moved across the sky, inevitably beginning its downward march toward the horizon. And, half a day later, when the last rays of sunlight disappeared beyond the horizon, neither of them noticed, too busy working together.

……………………………………………………..

The following morning, Commander Sisi came to pay her respects. She bowed before Muxue, then presented a jade slip with both hands.

"The maps and intelligence, as requested, Your Celestial Highness."

Muxue accepted the jade slip with equal ceremony, giving her a gracious nod. "Please convey my thanks to the General. We shall put this information to good use."

Sisi inclined her head. Yet as she straightened, her gaze drifted past the princess to those gathered behind her, settling at last upon Mo Jian.

"So long as you return safely," she said, her tone perfectly even, "the information will be worth three times its price."

The meaning beneath her words was unmistakable. Mo Jian gave the faintest nod in acknowledgment.

He was the only one to receive the remark with such composure. Several of his companions immediately looked offended by the implication, while Bai Ning did not even bother to hide her disdain, rolling her eyes toward the heavens.

Sisi, mercifully, paid them no heed. She bowed once more to Muxue before taking her leave.

The princess watched her depart, then turned to the others. A bright smile spread across her face.

"That is the last of what we require. The Steppes await."

Eager smiles, restrained nods, and a single cheerful whoop answered her. With that, the group set off.

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AN:As always, there are more chapters on Patreon (15 extra) - check them out to read ahead. Thanks!